


My curse, my pain

by CrystalNavy



Series: The darkest secret [1]
Category: One Piece
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-10
Updated: 2018-07-11
Packaged: 2019-06-08 07:29:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15238446
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrystalNavy/pseuds/CrystalNavy
Summary: Someone has been capturing random Whitebeard pirates and allied pirates alike. All the pirates captured had one thing in common, and that thing was the reason why they were captured. Ryohei is a Pirate Hunter, and won't rest till he gets his hands on his prey





	1. Alliance

"These kidnappings have a pattern." Whitebeard looked at all of his Commander, his expression serious "Squardo, since you are the only one among those who were kidnapped to return to us, can you tell us more."

"Of course." Squardo nodded "The kidnapper's name is Ryohei, and he is after the biggest prize of them all. One that was twenty years in the making. That was what he told me."

"Told you?" Whitebeard raised an eyebrow "You were his victim, and kidnappers don't normally reveal their plans to their victims, or let said victims go."

"I was an exception." Squardo swallowed "Let's just say he found out about the circumstances of me allying with you and decided that those circumstances make me a valuable ally to him."

"You don't mean.....?"

"He wanted me to spy on you for him, try to figure out who his target is, and deliver them to him." Squardo sighed

-x-

Haruta glared at Ryohei, who fiddled with a metal contraption

"You're a tad uncooperative." Ryohei smiled "But we'll change that. I seek out the greatest prize of all, the one person the Marines want above everyone else. You will tell me who this person is."

"Go to hell." Haruta spat at Ryohei "I will not tell you anything."

"You will by the time two weeks pass." Ryohei promised "I have my ways of extracting information from unwilling participants. Soon, you will be singing for me, singing the information I want to hear. And your precious ally, Squardo, will help me. You see, hatred is a powerful emotion that causes people to turn on their allies if the incentive is strong enough, and Squardo's own hatred is strong enough. That's why I let him go."

"You bastard....." Haruta spoke in a low, angry voice

"A bastard who will capture his prey in the end." Ryohei smirked


	2. Born of evil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The bearer of demonic blood enters the picture. A truth and dare game is played and his greatest secret comes to light.

In a corner of the deck, a lone figure was sitting. He raised his head and his grey eyes observed the world around him. No one was around, to his relief, as most of the Commanders were at the meeting. Relieved, Portgas D. Ace stood up, stretching his arms. He felt an arm land on his shoulder. He turned around, his grey eyes meeting the chocolate brown orbs of his very own former first mate.

"We're having a Truth and Dare game soon, and we're looking for the final player." Masked Deuce grinned "Mihar, Cornelia and Aggy 68 will participate as well, along with Thatch and Haruta."

"So.....why does it have to be me?" Ace glanced at Deuce in confusion

"It doesn't." Masked Deuce frowned "But to be honest, I think it can do you well." 

"You know I can't." Ace shook his head, lowering his voice "If Whitebeard Pirates find out my greatest secret, the one I've been keeping under wraps for over ten years, they will......"

"Kill you?" Masked Deuce finished for him "Why would they abandon their philosophy just because of your heritage?"

"I seem to recall a certain someone...." Ace turned to look at Masked Deuce fully, his voice still barely a whisper "A certain someone who tried to kill me for a piece of foul-tasting morsel of food, and used my heritage as a justification for it...."

Masked Deuce flinched, as if an invisible hand had slapped him, his past mistake coming back to haunt him.

"I stopped when I found out what you were really like." Masked Deuce whispered, forcing his features to appear calm and unbothered "They will care for you too, and not judge you based on who your father was."

"I've asked a million people the same question during my lifetime." Ace chuckled humorlessly "And I always got the same answer."

"And that's why you need to tell. As your former first mate, I demand that you join us." Masked Deuce grabbed Ace by the shoulder and pushed him forward "You have been bottling up your feelings, hiding the fact that you are the Pirate King's son for too long out of fear. I think coming clean with it would help you relax."

"Okay, I will play with you." Ace sighed "But don't blame me if they try to kill me when they learn the truth."

"That's why I, Cornelia, Mihar and Aggy 68 will be there." Masked Deuce promised "We'll protect you should they try."

-x-

"Truth." Haruta said confidently

Cornelia glanced at Masked Deuce, who gave her a thumbs-up.

"What would you think...." she paused and a slight smile appeared on her face "If Gol D. Roger had a kid?"

There was a silence for a while, before Haruta laughed

"Why does the answer to that question matter to you?" Haruta asked

"I have my reasons." Cornelia waved her hand dismissively "Now answer the question."

"Better answer the question, kid." Aggy 68 advised "Cornelia was the terror of the Spade Pirates. What Cornelia wants, Cornelia gets, one way or another."

Cornelia nodded. She felt Ace glare at her and she met his glare with calm stare of her own, daring him to say anything. Of course he couldn't, because it meant revealing his secret too early.

"Well, honestly, I would try to help them out." Haruta said slowly "I mean, I heard that many people have a grudge against Roger, and they can and will hate his child too. It'd be tough for them to deal with all that hate."

Cornelia smiled at him, as did Mihar, Aggy 68 and Masked Deuce.

And Haruta felt as if he had just passed some sort of a test.

-x-

Masked Deuce smirked. The moment of truth had come. And he couldn't lie, he was gonna enjoy this. Cornelia, Mihar and Aggy 68 moved closer to their former Captain

"Ace." Masked Deuce grinned evilly "I dare you to tell us your greatest secret."

"Okay....." Ace steeled himself "I......"

The next words he would utter would either give him some respite or condemn him to death. 

No pressure.

"I am the reason Cornelia asked that question earlier. I used to ask it myself, but after awhile, I've stopped." Ace admitted "Gol D. Roger did have a child, and that child is me."

There was silence before Thatch stood up.

"Haruta, come with me." Thatch uttered these words, before walking briskly away "I need your help with something."

Ace watched them leave, before slumping down in defeat. Of course they wanted nothing to do with him anymore. They were probably preparing some machetes or something similar to murder him with in his sleep.

Aggy 68 pulled out twin pistols. Cornelia took out her katana. Mihar held twin chakrams in his hand. Masked Deuce pulled out a nicely-crafted gun from under his hat. All of them were ready to defend their former Captain's right to exist in this world.

"You guys don't have to do this." Ace whispered, his voice devoid of emotion.

Soon, they heard hurried footsteps approaching them. Thatch put a covered dish down in front of Ace, Haruta hot on his heels

"This is an apology for all the abuse the world inflicted upon you." Thatch said "Enjoy."

Ace lifted the lid, and gasped in suprise. In front of him was a small chocolate cake.

"Told you they would accept you." Masked Deuce flashed Ace a smug grin

Suprisingly, all the weapons that the former Spade Pirates were holding a minute ago had vanished into thin air.

-x-

"You would tell me who Gol D. Roger's child is." Ryohei gazed upon Thatch and Haruta

"No, I won't, and neither would Thatch." Haruta snapped "He didn't entrust us with his biggest secret two months ago for us to spill it instantly to a bastard like you."

"Haruta is right." Thatch gave Ryohei a dark look "That kid suffered a lifetime of abuse from those who held a grudge against Roger. We ain't gonna add to that by handing him to someone like you on a silver platter."

"We know you released Squardo hoping your own grudge against Roger would entice him to go along with your little plan." Haruta continued "But he won't get far. Even if none of us interfered, the former Spade Pirates would shoot Squardo dead before letting him touch one hair on that kid's head."

"Very well." Ryohei grinned "Let's see if some more alone time with my friends gets you to sing."

Thatch and Haruta braced themselves as tiny arachnids were released.

-x-

Now was the time, Squardo mused, as he approached the lone bed. The figure in it was sleeping innocently.

Suddenly, Squardo felt a muzzle of a gun pressed against his temple

"You have sixty seconds to explain what are you doing in this room." Masked Deuce said coldly "Or I will shoot."

"I was just....." Squardo tried to explain

"I couldn't quite catch what you just said." Masked Deuce uttered

Mihar, Cornelia, Aggy 68 and Kotetsu emerged from the darkness, surrounding Squardo 

"Three more seconds." Masked Deuce informed casually

Squardo started sweating.

The occupant of the bed behind him stirred

"Kotetsu, keep watch." Masked Deuce ordered "We're going outside. We don't want to wake our brother up, now do we?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things start getting more serious from here on out.


	3. Best friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Late Pirate King's son and a gentle giant formed an odd friendship. A giant straw hat resting on latter's back is their pledge. When one of them needs help, the other would provide it.

After hours of torturing them, Ryohei thankfully left, leaving Haruta and Thatch covered in wounds and bruises, but thankfully alive.

Haruta rolled around, so that he was facing Thatch. 

"Do you think he'll be caught eventually?" Haruta spoke what was on his mind

"I hope not. He's suffered enough to last him a lifetime." Thatch frowned "I knew his father. I knew his father well."

And he did. That iconic face and equally iconic smile couldn't be forgotten easily. Gol D. Roger, the one man that laughed in the face of danger. Edward Newgate, Marshall D. Teach, Marco and Thatch himself all had the privilege of personally knowing Gol D. Roger, and they all admired him.

And maybe it was fate that Roger's kid joined the crew led by his father's old rival. 

Either way, Thatch couldn't complain. 

"There are plenty of things hidden in this world, Haruta, and you shouldn't take everything they say as an absolute truth. The inhabitants of the world who are swayed by the world government will tell you that Roger's child wouldn't deserve to live, but people like me would tell you that he does." Thatch opted to say instead

Haruta nodded, adopting a somber expression.

-x-

"A ship is approaching!" the lookout shouted

And indeed it was. The ship which bore a flag depicting a red skull with horns.

"Little Oars Jr. had come!" several crew-members cheered

Little Oars Jr. was a gentle giant with great love for parties, and an even greater love for the giant straw hat that he wore on the middle of his back.

As he switched ships, the hat in question bounced with each step he took

"Hey, Oars." Ace skipped over to meet the giant pirate, grinning "How is your hat doing?"

"Pretty good, thank you." Little Oars Jr. looked down at Gol D. Roger's son with clear adoration in his eyes "To tell you the truth, I came to visit the person who made it for me, see how they are doing and all that...."

At this, Ace visibly deflated.

"How about we talk in private, if possible?" Ace requested

"We can talk on my ship." Little Oars Jr. suggested "My crew wouldn't eavesdrop on us."

Ace nodded.

Little Oars Jr. picked him up, lifting him in the air carefully, as someone would do with something made of glass, and carried him over to his own ship.

There, they locked themselves inside the Captain's cabin, which was large enough to accommodate Little Oars Jr., and they dropped all the pretense.

"The hat you made for me is still very useful, and I shall not forget what you've done for me." Little Oars Jr. turned to look at his best friend "I am worried about you. Rumors are spreading, and fast."

"Yeah....." Ace seemed lost in thought "I think a bounty hunter is involved, and they're after me. The others are trying to hide it, but putting all the pieces together wasn't hard."

"Snow doesn't reach me. The rain can't harm me. Heat doesn't affect me as badly as it used to." Little Oars Jr. stared at the horizon "You've done far more for my sake than you could possibly know or understand. Will you let me do the same for you?"

Ace sat down, leaning against the railing. Little Oars Jr. sat down beside him.

Neither of them said a word as one gave silent support to the other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Little Oars Jr. is a sweetheart and what he had done for my darling's sake will never be forgotten

**Author's Note:**

> I've decided to include chapter questions to make this story more interesting.
> 
> So here is the Chapter 1 question......
> 
> Chapter 1 question: Who do you think Ryohei is after?


End file.
